It's Not Just a Doll
by IAmKayDubs
Summary: Jean and Marco become parents... for three weeks, as a part of the Baby Project. However, while Jean is bored out of his mind, not understanding why they even have to do the project, Marco could not be happier. At first Jean ignores it... but then he begins to wonder, is there a reason for Marco's excitement?


The baby project.

One of the most fun or the most boring projects, depending on the person.

Jean fell into the latter category.

He rolled his eyes to himself as their teacher, who just preferred to be called Hanji and nothing more, giddily announced the project. A row of plastic baby dolls were lined up on the smooth wooden table in front of her.

He snuck a glance at Marco, who sat at his side. Unlike Jean, Marco seemed almost excited as Hanji.

Jean frowned. He didn't know how Marco could be excited about this project, but to each his own.

He and Marco had already promised to be partners. Jean figured that Marco would be the only thing that made the project somewhat fun. Having been best friends for three years and a couple for almost one, they fit together well.

Hanji called groups up one by one to get a baby doll. When Jean and Marco approached the table, Marco immediately reached for a doll on the side where the "females" were.

Marco and Jean took a seat again, and Marco held the baby in his arms delicately, as if it were alive.

"What's her name going to be?" Marco asked, his eyes bright.

"Hmm?"

"Her name. What should it be?"

"We have to name it?"

"Of course we have to name _her_. For the next three weeks, she's our child."

"Okay, okay. So names..." Jean drew a blank. He didn't exactly make a habit of coming up with baby names.

"I was thinking Evie. It's cute, don't you think?"

Jean blinked. "Yeah, it is. I like it. But how'd you come up with that so fast?"

Marcos gaze dropped away for a moment. "I... I don't know. I just did. I like it though, should we go with that?" Marcos face lit up again.

"Sounds good to me." Jean managed a smile. He still didn't quite get why Marco loved this project so much, but seeing him happy was all Jean wanted, no matter what the reason was.

* * *

><p>Later that day, while walking down the halls together, Jean noted how focused Marco was on the baby doll. He held it close, rocking it slightly.<p>

"She's cute, huh, Jean?"

Jean smiled softly. "Yeah, she is." He didn't understand it, but he found it sweet that Marco was so into the project.

When people would brush past Marco, he would hold Evie closer, frowning a bit with worry.

Jean ignored it.

* * *

><p>That afternoon, Jean slid into the passenger side of Marco's car. He was holding the baby now, and Marco kept sneaking glances at him while he did.<p>

Jean set the baby doll on his lap while he buckled his seatbelt, and Marco reached out a hand to catch her in case she slid off of his lap. Jean gave him a sideways glance, picking up the baby in his arms again.

Marco buckled himself and pulled out of the parking lot. "Hold on to her, okay, Jean? The car can be bumpy."

"Marco, will you relax? It's just a doll, it'll be okay."

Jean saw Marco go rigid. Odd, because Marco was usually pretty calm.

"Didn't you hear the assignment? That doll is our child for the next few weeks," Marco said, his voice visibly forced. "It's not just a doll..."

"Hey, I'm sorry, okay? I know this means a lot to you, if you want to take this project really seriously, I won't stop you."

Marco nods, but it was clear that he was on edge all the way to Jean's house.

* * *

><p>The next day they walked home after school, as they were going to Marco's house, which is much closer to the school.<p>

As they walked along the sidewalk, the overhang of trees making a dappled pattern of sunlight on the concrete, Jean noticed that Marco was back to his normal smily self.

Jean was holding the baby, her head in the crook of his elbow. At one point, Marco reached over and adjusted her foot so that it wasn't sticking up so far. Jean noticed that Marco tickled the babies stomach for just a moment before he pulled away.

"It's beautiful out here, don't you think, Jean?"

Jean hummed happily, nodding in approval. He instantly changed back to a frown when he heard a bubbling whine start up.

The baby had started to cry.

Jean panicked, real baby or not he didn't know how to stop a baby from crying. He rocked it, but he was going too quickly in his nervousness.

"Give her to me." Marco said, taking the baby doll and holding her close. He rocked her softly, shifting from one foot to another. He hummed a soft song, and within only about half a minute she had stopped crying entirely.

Jean's jaw was slack. How had he known exactly what to do?

"You have to be careful, Jean! You need to be more gentle with her." Marco chastised him.

"How was I supposed to know what to do? I'm sorry for not living up to your crazy standards, Marco."

"She's fragile, Jean. You should know not to be so rough with her."

"For gods sake, Marco, this is a _doll_. It's a project._ It's not real_"

Marco looked as if he'd been punched. His face fell instantly, and Jean saw him trying to swallow a knot in his throat.

Jean knew he had hit some sort of tender spot, and a big one at that.

Marco tried to force out words, but they kept getting stuck in his throat. He looked down at the baby doll, nodding his head slightly.

"Y-yeah."

Marco runs. He runs towards his house, going faster than Jean had ever seen him go.

And Jean ran too.

* * *

><p>Jean was out of breath by the time he reached Marcos house a few blocks away. Only Marco's car was outside, luckily his parents weren't home, and Marco had left the door unlocked. Jean slid inside, instantly heading for Marcos room on the second floor.<p>

He reached the bedroom door, finding it shut. He must be inside.

"Marco...? Hey, can I come in? Please...? I'm really sorry... I...-"

Jean heard a stifled sob.

He couldn't wait for Marco, he was too worried. He just opened the door, stepping inside instantly. The sight made him want to sob as well.

Marco sat on his bed, facing the door, with the doll resting on a pillow at his side, and a photograph in a frame clutched in one of his hands. The other hand covered his mouth, and tears were streaming down his reddening face.

"Marco..."

He looked up, his eyes puffy. He didn't say a word.

Jean sat on the bed beside him, putting an arm around his waist tentatively. Marco didn't pull away.

Jean looked closer at the picture. It was a baby, no more than a year old. She was giggling, her eyes shut and her pudgy cheeks pink. She had tiny little freckles on her nose.

"Who's that...?" Jean asked, though he dreaded the answer. It could be many things, but with the way Marco was, none of them could be good.

"My little sister."

"I never knew you had a sister..."

"I know... She died before I met you," Marco said, his voice barely above a whisper. "She had just turned one."

Jean couldn't open his mouth to speak.

"She was such a sweet little girl. Always smiling, always laughing. Then she got sick... Leukemia..." Marco said hoarsely. "She died only four days after her first birthday."

Jean had a realization that made his skin tingle. "Let me guess... Her name was..."

"Evie." Marco nodded.

Jean didn't try to talk, he was no good at using words to comfort people. Instead he just pulled Marco closer to him, resting his head on Marcos broad shoulder. He moved his hand off of Marcos waist and on to his arm, rubbing it as soothingly as he could.

"I got so engrossed in this project..." Marco murmured after a moment, once his tears slowed a bit, "because for some reason I thought that taking care of this doll would somehow make up for losing her... It was like I had a sister all over again... It was silly, I know, I just... I miss her so much, Jean."

"I know. I know, I'm sorry... I wish there was more I could say..." Jean whispered.

Marco wiped at the tears on his face, sitting up a bit straighter. Jean let go of him. Marco scooted back, leaning against the wall that his bed was pushed against. He set the picture down in his lap, and picked up the doll, gazing down at them fondly.

"Hey, Marco?"

"Yeah?"

"How about we have our own kid one day? I promise I'll be gentle, I'll love them just as much as I love you... Would you like that?"

Marco looked up at him, a soft smile on his face, still pink and shiny with dry tears. He nodded softly.

"I would love that."

* * *

><p>AN: Hello everyone! It's been a little bit since I've last posted, over a month, I think. Honestly, it's because of writers block, but in an odd sense. I've found/come up with so many prompts for pairings of all kinds, and I've written out basic outlines for how I want them to go, but I can't actually manage to write them, or finish them if I manage to start. :/ it's quite frustrating, but I think it's the kind that I can sort of fix by forcing myself to write, so I think I'll do that soon!

Also, to anyone that follows my Sufin fic "Now You are Truly Home", I promise and update will be coming soon. I hit a snag in that as well, which is why it's been a while, but I got over it and I'm almost done writing chapter 11! I promise it will be soon, I just need to write one final portion of the chapter. :)

Thanks to everyone for reading, I hope you enjoyed!


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